Desolate Devouring Art

Chapter 715 - Central Plains

Liu Wuxie slowed his flight. He had long heard tales of how the Central Plains was a heaven for cultivators. But he hadn't anticipated the spatial laws here to be over a dozen times stronger than those in the Southern Province. Not to mention, he was just in the outer region, which meant the spatial laws in the core region would be even stronger.

When he crossed the Western Barren and entered the Central Plains' borders, it felt like he had passed through an invisible ripple, and a new world had opened.

Vast mountain ranges still dominated the terrain ahead, as this was merely the border of the Central Plains. Liu Wuxie’s flight became increasingly sluggish, and he had to consume vast amounts of true essence to maintain it.

Moreover, Liu Wuxie was shocked when he peered into the desolate world with his divine sense. The desolate world had shrunk under the suppression of the spatial laws in the Central Plains, but he realized his laws and true essence had become more refined.

It felt like it had been compressed by a mysterious force, with the impurities removed, leaving behind the purest essence. He also tried to throw a punch and realized his strength had been significantly suppressed, which made him feel like he had returned to the True Core Realm. This had resulted from the suppression of spatial laws here.

However, his cultivation remained in the Astral River Realm, and he needed time to adjust to it. After he acclimated to it, his strength gradually increased again. But he couldn't achieve the same power he possessed in the Southern Province.

That didn't mean Liu Wuxie's cultivation and combat strength had diminished, as everyone would also suffer the suppression of the spatial laws in the Central Plains. He dared not increase his flight speed and chose to travel on land after passing through the mountain range ahead.

If he continued to travel by flight, it would consume too much of his true essence, and it would be troublesome if he ran into danger. This was why he had to maintain his peak condition.

The Desolate Devouring Art began circulating as Liu Wuxie felt dense spiritual energy surging into his body. With the laws in the Central Plains being over a dozen times stronger than in the Southern Province, the spiritual energy here was correspondingly more potent. Vast amounts of liquefied spiritual energy gathered above the Sky Devouring Divine Cauldron, forming a visible accumulation.

Even Fiery basked in the rich spiritual energy, appearing thoroughly satisfied as the abundant energy naturally flowed into its body, enhancing its vitality. n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

After walking for three long days and nights, Liu Wuxie emerged from the mountain range and found a small stream ahead. In the distance, thin smoke, a sign of habitation, was visible. He instantly realized this must be the most impoverished edge of the Central Plains.

He cupped the cold stream water with his hands and splashed it against his face. Even his clothes looked worn and weathered from the travel. Now, he could finally catch his breath.

Fiery leaped into the stream, splashing around joyfully. The long journey on Liu Wuxie’s shoulder had dulled its once-vibrant fur, but now it gleamed with a lustrous sheen as the crystal-clear water washed over it. Beneath its red coat, faint golden patterns shimmered subtly, barely visible unless the fur was parted, hinting at something extraordinary about the little creature.

Feeling refreshed, Liu Wuxie and Fiery walked into the village to ask for directions.

Most of the villagers were ordinary, cultivating around the Marrow Cleansing Realm.

In the mundane world, cultivators in the Marrow Cleansing Realm from the Southern Province were regarded as behemoths, though in the broader cultivation world, they were relatively insignificant.

Liu Wuxie approached an old man and inquired about the nearest city. He needed to find a city to seek the information he needed.

Beyond training, he also intended to visit the Liu Clan during his trip to the Central Plains, hoping to uncover clues about his parents' whereabouts. However, the task wouldn’t be simple; his only possessions linking him to his parents were a jade pendant and the Fatality Blade Art.

Through the old man, Liu Wuxie learned that it would take ten days and nights on foot to reach the nearest city. This was because the villagers could not fly as they were only in the Marrow Cleansing Realm and rarely ventured to the big cities. They spent most of their lives in the village, making a living through hunting.

Three days would be enough for the journey for those capable of flight.

Liu Wuxie set off quickly after thanking the elder. He only had one year and aimed to reach the high levels of the Nascent Transformation Realm and find his parents.

Instead of flying, he relied on his movement technique to travel, which wasn't any slower. He ran into cultivators along the way, and they were likely from the nearby regions.

For those who dared to target him, Liu Wuxie sent them scrambling in fear by releasing a hint of his aura in the Astral River Realm. While cultivators in the Astral River Realm weren’t considered experts in the Central Plains, they were considered a powerhouse in such a remote area.

Three days later, Liu Wuxie finally sat in a city. It was called a city because it was surrounded by walls reaching three meters high, primarily built to fend off attacks from profound beasts. Time had taken a toll on the walls, which were tattered, but plenty of travelers were passing by.

Most were ordinary people, but he could occasionally spot a few in the Astral River Realm. He kept Fiery in his embrace as it would draw attention if it sat on his shoulder.

When he passed through the wall and entered the city, the surrounding environment was much bleaker than anticipated. The streets were paved with pale yellow stones, worn smooth from the foot traffic over the years. Some shops lined up on two sides of the road, but there weren't many customers. This city was too remote, which meant a sparse number of customers.

As Liu Wuxie walked into the city, his unfamiliar face drew curious glances and whispers from the locals. However, he paid no attention to the murmurs and continued down the bustling street until he stopped in front of an inn crowded with cultivators.

"Welcome, Sir! Please come in!" a waiter warmly greeted Liu Wuxie as he hesitated to enter.

It didn't take long for Liu Wuxie to agree to settle in this inn. After spending so many days traveling, he was hungry. Upon smelling the aroma of roasted meat, Fiery began to squirm restlessly in his embrace, wanting to come out.

Though Liu Wuxie could abstain from eating, Fiery couldn't live without food; it was only a profound third-grade beast.

Stepping inside, they were greeted by an atmosphere of antiquity. The inn's pillars and door frames were constructed from raw, unprocessed wood harvested from the surroundings, giving the space a rugged and simple charm that matched the rustic ambiance of the city.

The Central Plains wasn't just a heaven for cultivators; the scenery and atmosphere carried a distant trace of antiquity.

Liu Wuxie ordered some meat and a jug of water. When he scanned the surroundings, he realized the laws had suppressed his Ghost Eye, and his vision only reached a hundred meters at best. This was unlike his time in the Southern Province, where his vision could reach tens of thousands of meters in radius, relying on Ghost Eye.

The inn housed seven or eight other patrons besides Liu Wuxie and Fiery. When he entered, they briefly glanced at him before quickly averting their gazes.

This reaction made Liu Wuxie frown—not because they seemed uninterested in him, but because Fiery was the real center of attention. Its fiery red fur, resembling a ball of flame, drew curious stares. If it weren’t actively eating, many might have mistaken it for an actual fire. Such an unusual demonic beast naturally piqued their interest.

He paid no attention to it and planned to procure an interspatial pouch capable of storing living creatures to spare Fiery the discomfort of constant exposure and drawing attention from the surroundings.

Fiery laid on the table as it feasted with gusto, looking adorable as it chewed on the meat.

Meanwhile, Liu Wuxie sipped his tea and looked out the window. A brief moment later, he called out, "Waiter!"

"Sir, what may I do for you?" The waiter's attitude was respectful as he bowed toward Liu Wuxie.

Liu Wuxie took a high-grade spirit stone and shoved it into the waiter's hand. The waiter's eyes lit up upon seeing it. After all, a high-grade spirit stone was rare in such a remote region of the Central Plains.

"How long will it take me to reach the Astral Glory City?" Liu Wuxie asked. His map only provided a rough overview of the Central Plains, with few details.

The Central Plains was too vast, and even the Murong Clan couldn't procure a complete map as there were places they hadn't been to.

Astral Glory City was Liu Wuxie’s next planned destination. During his time in Heavenly Nether City, he had once asked Du Yuan, a cultivator from the Central Plains, about his origins. Du Yuan had mentioned a prominent Liu Clan near Astral Glory City, making it a hopeful starting point for Liu Wuxie’s search for clues about his parents on his first trip to the Central Plains.

When Liu Wuxie inquired about the city, the waiter hesitated, a hint of embarrassment crossing his face. He had never ventured far from this humble city, the furthest he had traveled being a mere hundred miles into the nearby mountain range.

"Forgive me, sir. I have never ventured beyond this humble city. I recommend heading to Scarlet Ridge City. It's a crossroads for travelers, and I believe you can find the information you seek there," the waiter said. He naturally had no intentions of giving back the high-grade spirit stone, so he offered whatever information he could.

"Thank you," Liu Wuxie replied. He hadn’t expected a definitive answer from the waiter, merely a sense of direction toward the prosperous regions of the Central Plains.

Now that he looked at it, it would take considerable time for him to reach the Central Plains' heart, and he didn't know how long it would take him to rely on his feet.

"There's a teleportation array toward the Scarlet Ridge City if you're in a hurry, and you can reach there in a day. But the cost will be high," the waiter said.

The teleportation array could only be used by powerful cultivators as commoners like them wouldn't be able to gather enough money to use it in their lifetime. Even most merchants relied on their feet to travel instead of using the teleportation array.

Liu Wuxie's eyes lit up at the mention of the teleportation array. This could save him time, and he could reach the Astral Glory City in a few days. He quickly pressed the waiter for the teleportation array's location, who dutifully provided directions before leaving.

While the other patrons had previously shown little interest in Liu Wuxie, their expressions changed upon hearing him inquire about the teleportation array. Anyone capable of affording such a luxury was likely wealthy, instantly marking Liu Wuxie as a potential target in their eyes.

Unaware of the brewing danger, Liu Wuxie left the inn with Fiery after the creature had finished its meal.

The teleportation array in the city was rarely used, lying dormant most of the time due to its high cost.

Less than a breath after Liu Wuxie left, several patrons hastily settled their bills and followed behind him.

Liu Wuxie had already noticed he was being tailed but pretended not to realize it.

"Some people just have to court death," Liu Wuxie muttered before increasing his speed. He turned into a deserted alley, knowing he had to clean up the flies, or they would be annoying. He didn't want trouble, but that didn't mean he was afraid.

The alley he entered was surrounded by stone walls that reached three meters tall on both sides, making it ideal for eliminating his pursuers.